Raley’s Drops Coconut Milk Tied To Monkey Labor After PETA Push

For immediate release:
May 11, 2021

Contact:
Moira Collie 202-483-7382

Sacramento, California. – Following the PETA campaign and two covert PETA Asia investigations into the use of chained and caged monkeys in the Thailand coconut harvesting industry, Rayleigh stopped selling coconut milk from major producer Chaokoh. PETA’s campaign involved sharing videos and meeting twice with the company, mobilizing members and supporters to urge the network to make the right decision, and sending humanely harvested coconuts to CEO Rayleigh.

“The life of a chained coconut picking machine is not life for a monkey to interact, play and explore with family members,” says PETA executive vice president Tracy Reiman. “Since PETA’s revelations have confirmed the cover-up of brutality on coconut farms, no conscious grocery store can keep Chaokoh’s products on their shelves, and Raley’s should be recognized for taking action.”

PETA Asia’s first investigation revealed cruelty to monkeys on every farm, every educational institution, and every coconut harvesting competition that used monkey labor. When not forced to pick coconuts or perform in circus performances for tourists, the animals were kept tied, chained to old tires, or in cages barely larger than their size. In the wake of global outrage, the coconut industry said it had changed the practice, but a second PETA Asia investigation found producers are still using monkey labor, and industry insiders are discussing how farms are hiding the practice by simply hiding the monkeys until the auditors leave or hiring contractors to bring in the monkeys. … only at harvest time.

Raley’s is now one of over 30,000 stores, including Albertsons, Wegmans, Costco, Target, Food Lion and Stop & Shop, that have severed ties to coconut milk brands that use monkey-harvested coconuts. PETA is pressure other retailers still doing business with Chaokoh, including Kroger, Walmart, Publix, and Save Mart.

Photos from the most recent investigation are available here, and broadcast quality footage is available upon request. PETA, whose motto is in part that “animals are not in our hands to be abused in any way,” is opposed to arrogance, a worldview focused on human superiority. For more information please visit PETA.org or subscribe to the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram…